Most Expensive Commercials to Air on Television

The commercials on this list are enough to make one ask themselves who would ever spend over a million dollars for a limited television spot? Apparently, these companies are one to go all out.

Super Bowl ads are known to air a couple of expensive television ads, and considering the number of viewers who tune in every year, it’s not so difficult to see why. A good amount of people even look forward to the Super Bowl just so they can see all the hilarious and entertaining commercials.

But this list does not just feature expensive Super Bowl ads, it tackles everything from popular products to even political advertisements. These companies were not ones to hold back when it came to investing in their commercials, and oftentimes, they turned out to be good investments. They definitely prove that good advertising is a turning point when it comes to making good money.

See video at the end

Guinness Domino

Cost: $20 million

The second-most expensive commercial ad in the world is courtesy of Guinness beer. The beloved brand showcased an Argentinean village and a massive domino stack going down. The 6,000 dominoes eventually knocked down an array of books, tires, and even cars before it reached the strategically placed Guinness beer. What is so amazing about this is that no big names were used in the commercial—but the company still shelled out $20 million to fund this ad.

Most Expensive Political Ad

Cost: $14.2 million

Pres. George W. Bush holds the record for the most expensive political television ad of all time. It featured the former president with a photo of a young girl whose mother was one of the victims in the tragic 9/11 incident. The whole production was not the main reason for its massive cost—but the air time in major cable station.

Aviva Insurance

Cost: $13.4 million

With big names such as Bruce Willis, Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, and Elle Macpherson, it was no question why this advertisement required such a massive budget. Back in 2008, Norwich Union rebranded itself as Aviva Insurance, so in order to capture the public’s attention, they paid big bucks for this star-studded commercial. The point of the commercial was to commemorate the name change—the same thing the stars who starred in it did before finding success in the industry.

Chrysler Comeback

Cost: $9 million

This Super Bowl ad was released back in 2011 and featured “Rap God,” Eminem driving around his hometown of Detroit and to the Chryler’s headquarters. It was supposed to depict the sudden fall and eventual rise of the car company during the recession. This was a perfect way to reintroduce the company to the public. They may have just been placed at number 44 in the favorite ads of all time list, but it later on became a viral hit in YouTube with over 17 million views.

Pepsi

Cost: $7.53 million

The Britney Spears Pepsi ad has been one of the most iconic ones to date. Like most expensive ads on this list, this was aired during the Super Bowl last 2002. Britney, being the megastar that she has always been, was most likely what made this commercial so expensive, and everyone has to admit the song she sung was catchy.